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Three Students Receive Dante Scholarships

11/09/2012

Three St. John Fisher College students received scholarships at the Italian Women’s Civic Club (IWCC) Dante Scholarship Dinner on November 3. The recipients included Dina Berardi, Andrea Casolari, and Elizabeth Palermo.

Berardi is a student in the Wegmans School of Pharmacy. She is a volunteer for the St. Lawrence and St. John’s Church faith formation groups. Additionally, she serves as president of the College’s National Pharmaceutical Association chapter, and is the secretary of the College’s American Pharmacists Association chapter.

Casolari is a senior nursing major, and has extensively volunteered at Rochester General Hospital on the Occupational Therapy Floor and the Oncology Floor.

Palermo, a candidate in the College’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program, is also minoring in geriatric nursing. She volunteers for the Buffalo Pug and Small Breed Dog Rescue Center, and is a board member of the St. Joseph’s Villa and Sigma Theta Tau Nursing Honorary Society. Currently, she is a Nurse Practitioner at Strong Memorial Hospital, and is also a faculty member at the University of Rochester School of Nursing.

Dante Scholarships are awarded to men and women annually to recognize academic achievement and promote pride in the Italian American heritage. Applicants must be full-time matriculated undergraduate or graduate students at the University of Rochester, Nazareth College, or St. John Fisher College.

The recipients are selected by a committee which includes members of the IWCC Board of Directors. Awards are based on criteria set by the committee, and include academic achievement, extra-curricular activities, community service, and personal identification with Italian American heritage.

The IWCC was established in 1919 to educate immigrant women on their newly acquired right to vote and assist them in assimilating into American life. The mission of the Club has evolved over the years, and today focuses on supporting higher education opportunities for young adults of Italian ancestry.